The Halloween costumes for girls that are most often available in stores are of princesses and beauty queens. Other matrimanically-themed costumes, such as bridal outfits, are also available. For boys, stores most often offer death-themed costumes such as the Grim Reaper as well as superhero and warrior outfits. [Discussion is here.]

#6

Thinking of going Trick-or-Treating house-to-house on Halloween? You have about 115 million options. That’s how many occupied residences there are in the U.S. The malls and other organized venues are extra.

#7

Your competition for the candy numbers about 41 million. That’s how many American children are between the ages 5 and 14. Of course, younger and older ones might be out seeking that candy, too.

#8

In some towns, Halloweeners actually have to do something in order to get their candy – for example, sing “Five Little Pumpkins.” Well, at least that was true in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. Is it true anywhere else?

Hello Dr. DePaulo,
Whether Cool Fact #1, that college men are more likely than their female counterparts to use Halloween costumes to conceal their identities, is actually a cool fact is open to interpretation. Some may view it as a more creative expression of the Halloween spirit. Others, however, may look at it as an effort to avoid accountability for actions committed while fulfilling Cool Facts #2 & 3, drinking as much for Halloween as they do for the big game. Complaints of uncivil cyber-behavior are commonly attributed to the anonymity afforded by online communications. It is quite possible that similar uncivil real life behaviors can be spurred on by the anonymity afforded by a Halloween costume, especially if those behaviors are fueled by alcohol. You close the discussion of the study used to come up with some of your Cool Facts by suggesting it be continued over a number of years. I would recommend that the scope of the study be expanded to include the aftermath of the Halloween celebrations being studied.
Rex Williams

I remember a party in college where I dressed up as Princess Leia and some guy groped me near the keg. (Leia's white dress isn't exactly provocative...) I turned around and threw my beer in his face and he picked me up and threw me over the keg, and the fight was on. I was picked up again by another young man and carried to safety, and I looked into the face of Han Solo. Evidently he was in character. >: )
A few years ago I lived in one of the poorest counties in the US (in Missouri) and many of the kids' parents drove them to the adjacent wealthy county to trick-or-treat. Some wealthy residents objected to kids of "the wrong color" at their door and one called in to a radio station to complain about it. The DJ was wonderfully unsympathetic. He said, "You resent having to hand out your dollar-store candy to a few black kids? Get over yourself, you b****!"

I can't stand Halloween. I hate everything about it. There is simply no need to be dressing up and scaring ghosts away anymore. None. Now, let me stop there--I fully support YOUR freedom to celebrate whatever you like on your own time, including Halloween. If you want to dress up, I'm okay with that. What sickens me most about Halloween is the absolutely intrusive nature of the holiday. I never knock on anyone's door demanding food when I celebrate a holiday, and it irks me to no end that my privacy and property rights aren't respected when others want to celebrate their holidays. In addition, some of those who "trick or treat" are the same characters who vandalized my neighborhood the previous evening.

Want to celebrate Halloween? Please do it on your own time, on your own dime, and on your own property. And please leave the rest of us alone.